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Speaker 1: And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the

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Speaker 1: Ethiopian woman whom he had married, for he had married

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Speaker 1: an Ethiopian woman numbers twelve one. Dear Lord, thank you

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Speaker 1: that you are a protective father. And because you are

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Speaker 1: a protective father, I know that if there is any

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Speaker 1: speech that is trying to rise up against me, you

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Speaker 1: will silence it. Thank you that when it comes to

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Speaker 1: my reputation, I don't have to fight the battle on

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Speaker 1: my own or try to prove myself to another. Instead,

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Speaker 1: I will keep my integrity intact. I will continue to

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Speaker 1: move and operate in love because I know that at

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Speaker 1: the end of the day, you are for me. In

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Speaker 1: the same breath, I will ask that if the same

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Speaker 1: mindset that came upon Aaron and Miriam tries to descend

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Speaker 1: upon my mind, that you would silence it. I choose

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Speaker 1: to live my life with honor, humility, and holiness than

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Speaker 1: because these are my pillars. I will honor any one

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Speaker 1: in a position of power, even when we don't see

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Speaker 1: I to eye through this simple truth, I know that

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Speaker 1: when my time comes, you will surround me with the

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Speaker 1: right people who will honor my position and authority. I

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Speaker 1: will not forget that honor is the key to elevation

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Speaker 1: in your kingdom. These truths I will hold near to

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Speaker 1: my heart and Jesus name, Amen, thank you for praying

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Speaker 1: with me to day. Continue listening for an incredible Bible

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Speaker 1: story brought to you by Bible in a Year dot com.

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Speaker 1: Defying Moses. In our last story, we saw the people

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Speaker 1: of Israel grumble to God about food, and God made

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Speaker 1: a point. Their constant complaining and ungrateful spirits drove Moses

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Speaker 1: to the end of himself, and God appointed seventy men

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Speaker 1: to relieve Moses of his burdens. In this story, we

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Speaker 1: learn about jealousy rearing its ugly head in the Hearts

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Speaker 1: of Miriam, Moses's sister and erin the jealous hearts of

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Speaker 1: Kin seek to strike once again, but God would not

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Speaker 1: allow it. As inspired by the Book of Numbers. Hello,

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Speaker 1: I'm pastor Jack Graham with today's episode of the Bible

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Speaker 1: in a Year podcast. In yesterday's episode, we saw how

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Speaker 1: the needs of the Israelites overwhelmed Moses and he was

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Speaker 1: burning out, and yet he goes to God for help.

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Speaker 1: God gives him a plan and appointed seventy men to

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Speaker 1: help lighten the load and to take care of the

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Speaker 1: problems and the perplexities of leading such a great nation.

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Speaker 1: We also saw how God judges the people for their

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Speaker 1: ungrateful hearts and their lack of trust. By sending a plague,

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Speaker 1: God was demonstrating that though he was the provider and

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Speaker 1: would always protect them, that he would bring punishment to

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Speaker 1: correct or discipline his children. Today will revisit a theme

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Speaker 1: that's come up many times in scripture. Sibling rivalry, from

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Speaker 1: Cain and Abel to Joseph and his brothers is a

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Speaker 1: problem almost as old as mankind. We'll hear how moses siblings,

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Speaker 1: Miriam and Aaron turn against Moses, and how God deals

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Speaker 1: with their attempt to usurp his leadership now less here

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Speaker 1: today's reading banterus whispers could be heard in the dead

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Speaker 1: of night. Miriam, Moses's sisters and Errand spoke silently but

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Speaker 1: with intensity. They gossiped, grumbled, and complained about their brother,

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Speaker 1: Moses marrying an Ethiopian for whatever reason. Miriam boiled with

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Speaker 1: anger towards Moses's wife, but the true heart behind her

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Speaker 1: distress was revealed in her words, does God only speak

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Speaker 1: through Moses? She whispered, doing her best, not to be

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Speaker 1: heard by anyone else. He has spoken to you, me,

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Speaker 1: and plenty others. Here Arin agreed with Miriam, having been

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Speaker 1: both jealous and embarrassed by Moses's faithfulness and favor, They

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Speaker 1: validated one another's words. Their hearts had been gripped by

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Speaker 1: an evil that once took over the heart of Jacob's

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Speaker 1: sons towards Joseph years ago. As they spoke to others,

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Speaker 1: their dishonor for Moses increased, and they began to sow

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Speaker 1: subtle doubt among the people. Though Miriam and Erin were

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Speaker 1: keeping a low profile, God could hear every word of it. Petty, childish.

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Speaker 1: God looked upon Miriam and Erin with disgust. He would

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Speaker 1: not tolerate leaders driven by jealousy and contempt. Moses was

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Speaker 1: a meek man. His humility often overshadowed his strength as

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Speaker 1: a leader. Therefore, it was up to God to reprimand

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Speaker 1: his siblings. As Miriam and Aaron were scheming amongst each other,

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Speaker 1: a cloud of smoke descended upon the tent of meeting.

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Speaker 1: The air shifted, and the warm breeze turned into a

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Speaker 1: sharp and frigid wind. Come out. The Lord shouted, He beckoned,

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Speaker 1: Moses forward and forced Aron and Miriam out from the shadows.

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Speaker 1: God spoke to Miriam and Eron as a shepherd wood

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Speaker 1: to wolves. His anger emanated from the cloud as he said,

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Speaker 1: hear my words and listen carefully. When I speak to

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Speaker 1: my prophets, I come to them in dreams and visions.

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Speaker 1: This is not so with Moses. He is faithful, and

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Speaker 1: I speak to him clearly, plainly, and with no riddles.

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Speaker 1: You shall fear speaking about him the way you have.

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Speaker 1: You should tremble at the very thought of mistreating him.

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Speaker 1: God truly spoke as a protective father, and his anger

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Speaker 1: was kindled against the two of them, and the cloud

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Speaker 1: of smoke disappeared as quickly as it came. Silence fell

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Speaker 1: upon them as they sat in the tent. Moses could

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Speaker 1: not look them in the eyes. He tilted his head

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Speaker 1: to the floor, heart aching from the betrayal of his

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Speaker 1: closest friends. Moses closed his eyes, thinking about what he

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Speaker 1: would say next. He had never had a way with words,

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Speaker 1: what would he say now? As he was thinking, he

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Speaker 1: heard his brother gasp. Moses lifted his eyes and saw

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Speaker 1: Aaron's face in shock. As he looked at his sister

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Speaker 1: Miriam's face had become white as snow, and her skin

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Speaker 1: began to peal off her face. Miriam shrieked and cried

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Speaker 1: out in pain as her entire body began to rot.

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Speaker 1: Pieces of flesh pealed from Miriam's face like paper, and

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Speaker 1: her fingers began to fall off one by one. Aaron

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Speaker 1: watched as his sister became riddled with leprosy. Unable to

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Speaker 1: look any longer, he turned to Moses and shouted, my Lord,

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Speaker 1: do not punish us. Her flesh is half eaten away.

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Speaker 1: Aaron cried with his face to the floor in front

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Speaker 1: of Moses. Moses was just as sickened as erind. He

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Speaker 1: shivered at the sight of Miriam, whose teeth had been

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Speaker 1: dangling from her open mouth. Oh God, Moses shouted, Please

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Speaker 1: heal her, Please, Moses begged. So God did as Moses requested,

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Speaker 1: and Miriam lived outside the camp for seven days. God

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Speaker 1: allowed her to live with the outward display of her

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Speaker 1: inward character. After she had healed, she rejoined them, and

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Speaker 1: the three continued to lead the people together. Today's episode begins,

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Speaker 1: as acts of treachery often do, with whispers. Miriam and Aaron,

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Speaker 1: the very sister and brother of Moses, are jealous of

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Speaker 1: his position, envious Why should he get all the credit

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Speaker 1: for hearing from God? They said to themselves and then

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Speaker 1: to others, they were undermining the man that God Almighty

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Speaker 1: had chosen to lead his dear people. Surely their whispers

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Speaker 1: were heard throughout the camp. Moses himself may not have

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Speaker 1: heard them, but God did. And the reality is that

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Speaker 1: when someone tries to undermine one that God has called

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Speaker 1: to lead his people, dislike an attack on God himself,

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Speaker 1: and that will not be tolerated. So God summons Moses

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Speaker 1: and his siblings to the tent of meeting and made

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Speaker 1: it very clear Moses was set apart different from all

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Speaker 1: the others. Their attempt at comparing themselves to Moses would

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Speaker 1: not be taken lightly. God asks why they, knowing that

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Speaker 1: Moses was chosen by God himself, had spoken against him.

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Speaker 1: This is a reminder for us today to be very

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Speaker 1: careful how we speak of those who God has called

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Speaker 1: to lead. In the Book of Acts we find a

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Speaker 1: story of a pharisee named Gamaliel who understood this. When

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Speaker 1: some of the apostles were arrested for preaching the Gospel

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Speaker 1: of Christ, Gamaliel advised those in charge to let them be.

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Speaker 1: If they were not from God, they would soon be gone.

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Speaker 1: But if they were from God, defying them was a dangerous,

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Speaker 1: treacherous move. It could mean they were fighting against God himself.

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Speaker 1: That's what Miriam and Aaron were doing. By undermining and

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Speaker 1: criticizing Moses, they picked a fight with God. God turned

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Speaker 1: to them in anger and struck Miriam with a horrible leprosy.

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Speaker 1: Her skin began to peel away, yet Moses, once again

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Speaker 1: demonstrating compassion and grace even to those opposing him, intervenes

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Speaker 1: and asked God to spare her. Because of Moses, God

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Speaker 1: determines to let Miriam live, and she survives. She is

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Speaker 1: required to live outside the camp for a week, but

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Speaker 1: then is restored to the community and they move on

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Speaker 1: continuing their journey to the Promised Land. And when we

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Speaker 1: see them next, they will arrive at Canaan. Dear God,

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Speaker 1: thank you for this story, which reminds us that you

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Speaker 1: call people to leadership roles for a reason, and we

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Speaker 1: are to respect and follow those that you've put over us.

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Speaker 1: Help us to support rather than undermine, those you have

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Speaker 1: called to serve you in leadership positions. In Christ's name, Amen.

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Speaker 1: Thank you for listening to today's Bible in a Year podcast.

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Speaker 1: I'm pastor Jack Graham from Dallas, Texas. Download the Prey

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Speaker 1: dot com app and make a priority in your life.

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Speaker 1: If you enjoyed this podcast, share it with someone you know,

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Speaker 1: someone you love, because by sharing this podcast, you can

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Speaker 1: make a big difference in someone's life. And if you

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Speaker 1: want more resources as to how to live the Christian life,

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Speaker 1: how to know God and experience His presence in your life,

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Speaker 1: be sure to visit Jack Graham dot org. God bless you.

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Speaker 1: This episode is sponsored by Medicshare, an innovative healthcare solution

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Speaker 1: for Christians to save money without sacrificing quality.